ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED of, in the Diocese of Norwich In the ordinary Visitation of the Reverend Father in God, FRANCIS, Lord Bishop of NORWICH. Anno Domini 1629. ❧ Imprinted at LONDON by JOHN BILL. 1629. The form of the Oath to be ministered unto the Churchwardens and Sidemen. YOu shall swear, that you and every of you, shall duly consider, and diligently inquire, of all and every of these Articles given you in charge; and that all affection, favour, hope of reward and gain, or fear of displeasure, or malice set aside; you shall present all and every such person, of, or within your Parish, as hath committed any offence, or made any default mentioned in these, or any of these Articles; or which are vehemently suspected or defamed of any such offence or default: wherein you shall deal uprightly and fully; neither presenting, nor sparing to present any, contrary to truth; having in this action God before your eyes, with an earnest zeal to maintain truth and virtue, and to suppress vice. So help you God, and the holy Contents of this Book. ARTICLES TO BE ENQVIRED OF, IN the Diocese of NORWICH: ANNO DOM. 1629. Articles concerning Religion and Doctrine. Titul. 1. Heretical opinions. 1WHether be there any abiding, or resorting, to your Parish, that have wilfully maintained and defended any heresies, errors, or false opinions, contrary to the faith of Christ and holy Scripture. Absence from Church. 2 Item, Whether doth any in your parish, being 16. years of age or upwards, or others, lodging, or commonly resorting to any house in your Parish, wilfully absent themselves from your Parish Church, chapel, or Oratory, upon Sundays and Holidays, and other days appointed, at Morning and Evening prayers. Or who come late to Church, and departed from Church, before divine Service and Sermon be ended. Or whether be there any that persuade others to forbear and abstain coming to Church to hear divine Service, and receive the holy Communion, according to his Majesty's Laws in that behalf enacted. Unlawful Conventicles, 3 Item, Whether be there any in your Parish, that hath been, or is vehemently suspected to have been present at any unlawful assemblies, conventicles, or meetings, under colour or pretence of any exercise of Religion; or doth any affirm and maintain such meeting to be lawful, contrary to his Majesty's Statutes in that behalf. Impugners of the King's Supremacy. 4 Item, Whether be there any within your Parish, that deny, or persuade any to deny, withstand, and impugn the King's Majesty's authority and Supremacy in causes Ecclesiastical within his Realm. Popish Recu●●●●●. 5. Item, Whether be there any abiding, or resorting to your Parish, that be, or are commonly reputed to be ill affected in matters of Religion professed in our Church or taken to be Recusant Papists, refusing to repair unto the Church to hear divine Service, and receive the holy Communion, and being disobedient to his Highness' Laws in that behalf provided. Or do any publish, sell, or disperse any superstitious books or writings; or other books, libels, or writings of any lectuaries touching the Religion, State or Ecclesiastical government of this Kingdom of England. Present their names, qualities, and conditions. Doth any Papist keep a Schoolmaster in his house, which cometh not to Church as is required. What is his name, and how long hath he taught there or else where. Articles concerning public Prayer and Administration of the Sacraments. Titul. 2. ●●●rauing the Book of Common prayer, and ●●●●●monies. FIrst, Whether hath any of your Parish spoken or declared any thing, in the derogation, or depraving of the form of God's worship in the Church of England, and Administration of the Sacraments, Rites, and Ceremonis, set forth and prescribed in the Book of common Prayer by the King's Majesty authorised and confirmed. Do any preach, speak, or declare, that it containeth any thing which is not agreeable to the holy Scriptures. ●●●●wading any ●ister to alter form of ●●mon prayer. 2. Item, Whether hath any in your Parish caused, procured, or maintained any Minister to say any common or public Prayer, or to administer either of the Sacraments of Baptism and the Lords Supper otherwise, or in any other manner and form than is mentioned in the said Book of Common Prayer. Or whether hath any interrupted, hindered, let, or disturbed the Minister to read divine Service, and administer the Sacraments, in such manner and form as is mentioned in the said Book, or interrupted him in his Preach and Sermons. ●●ruation of ●orme of ●●●●●sme, and ●●●e. 3. Item, Whether is the Sacrament of Baptism rightly and duly administered according to the prescript Form expressed in the book of Common Prayer with due observation of all Rites and Ceremonies prescribed in the administration of the same, without adding, or altering any part or parcel of any prayers, interrogatories, or not using the sign of the Cross in the administration of the same. Deferring of Baptism. 4 Item, Whether is the administration of the Sacrament of Baptism deferred longer than the next Sunday or Holiday immediately following the birth of the Child. Children refused to be baptised, or dying without Baptism. 5 Item, Whether is the Sacrament of Baptism refused to be administered to any children borne in or out of wedlock, their birth being made known to the Minister of the parish, and offered unto him to be baptised, or have any such children died unbaptized. Parents of children admitted Godfathers. 6 Item, Whether be the Parents of any child to be baptised, admitted to be godfathers, and godmothers to the same. Private Baptism. 7 Item, Whether have there any children been baptised in private houses by any Lay person, or midwife, or Popish Priest, or by any other Minister, but upon urgent occasion when the child was in danger of death. Baptising of Papists children. 8 Item, Whether have the children which have been borne to any Popish Recusants, or begotten by them in your parish, been publicly baptised in your parish Church by your Parson, Vicar, or Curate; or by whom were they baptised, or where to your knowledge. Receiving of the Lords Supper thrice a year, 9 Item, Whether hath the blessed Sacrament of the Lords Supper been duly and reverently administered every month, or thrice every year at least, whereof once at Easter, within your Parish Church to every parishioner being of sixteen years of age, or upwards. Kneeling at the Communion, 10 Item, Whether is the said holy Sacrament delivered unto, or received by any of the Communicants within your Parish, that unreverently sit or stand, or do not devoutly and humbly kneel upon their knees. Notorious offenders admitted to the Communion. 11 Item, Whether hath any of your parish which be openly known to live in notorious sin without repentance, or excommunicate persons, or Schismatics, common and notorious depravers of the Religion and government of this Realm, without unfeigned sorrow shown for their impiety and wickedness, been admitted to be partaker of the said holy Communion. Debarring others without cause. 12 Item, Whether hath any of your parish been debarred from the said holy Communion without just cause, and without intimation first given to the Ordinary, or Bishop of the Diocese: and by whose default. Articles concerning the Church, Titul. 3. the Ornaments thereof, and the Church's possessions. Books and ornaments in the Church. FIrst, Whether have you in your Church or Chapel, the whole Bible of the largest volume, and of the last translation, the Book of common Prayer, lately set forth by his Majesty's authority, the two books of Homilies, and Bishop jewels Apology, all well and fairly bound: A Font of stone set up in the ancient usual place: A convenient and decent communion Table, with a carpet of silk, or some other decent stuff, continually laid upon the Table at time of divine Service, and a fair linen cloth at the time of administering the Communion. Abusing of the Communion Table. And whether is the same Table placed conveniently as it ought. And whether is it so used in or out of time of divine Service or Sermon, as is not agreeable to the holy use of it; as by sitting on it, and by throwing hats on it, or writing on it; or is it abused to other prophaner uses. Are the ten Commandments set upon the east end of your Church, with other sentences of Scripture about. Things appertaining to Churches. 2 Item, Whether have you in your said Church or Chapel, a cowenient seat for your Minister to read divine Service in, together with a comely Pulpit set up in a convenient place, with a decent cloth or cushion for the same; a comely, large, and fine Surplice, a fair communion Cup, a Flagon of silver, or pewter, with all other things and ornaments necessary for the celebration of divine Service, and administration of the Sacraments: and whether have you a Chest for alms, with three locks and keys, and another Chest for keeping the Books and ornaments of the Church, Register books. and the Register Book▪ Have you a Register Book in parchment for Christen, Weddings, and Burials, and is the same kept in all points according to the Canons. And have you a Table set in your Church of the degrees wherein by law men are prohibited to marry. Reparations of Churches, and parsonage houses. 3 Item, Whether is your Church or Chappel, with the Chancel thereof, and your Parsonage or Vicarage house, your Parish Almshouse and Church-house in good reparations; and are they employed to godly, and their right holy uses: if any be ruinated and wasted, in whom is the default. Is your Church, Chancel, and Chapel decently and comely kept, aswell within as without, and be the Seats well maintained, the Steeple and Bells preserved, the Windows well glazed, or any part of the Church, or Chancel windows daubed or closed up with Board, Lyme, or Stone, the floor kept paved, plain, and even, and all things in orderly and decent sort, without dust, Keeping clean of Churches. or any thing that may be either noisome or unseemly for the house of God, as is prescribed in an Homily to that effect, and the 85 Canon. 4 Item, How often have you presented unto the Commissaries, and Officers Court, the want of reparations of your Church, Chancel, Chapel, or your Vicarage and Parsonage houses. What dismission Fees have you paid to the Register since the last Visitation, the faults being not amended. Fencing and keeping the Churchyard. 5 Item, Whether be your Churchyards well fenced, and kept without abuse; if not, whose default is it: hath any person encroached upon the ground of the Churchyard. Have any used a place consecrated to holy use profanely or wickedly: have any quarrelled, or stricken another in Church or Churchyard: have any annoyed your Churchyard, or the fence thereof, by putting in of cattles, by banging of , or by laying there any dust, dung, or other filthiness. Church's vacant. 6 Item, Whether is your Church full, or vacant of an Incumbent; if vacant, who receiveth the fruits thereof, and who serveth the Cure, and by what authority: And whether is it a Parsonage, Vicarage, or Donative, or Appropriation. Concealing of Church goods. 7 Item, What legacies have been given to the use and benefit of your Church, how they have been bestowed: who received them, and detaineth them without due employment. Doth any detain or embezel any of the Church goods, or any other gifts given to charitable uses. Erecting up seats and pues. 8 Item, Whether is there any execting of pews, or innovating of seats in your Church by any private man of his own authority: and what seats have been so built, and by whose procurement, and by what authority. Defacing of seemly Ornaments. 9 Item, Whether hath any in your parish defaced, or caused to be defaced any monuments or ornaments in your Church. Burying of Popish Recus●nts. 10 Item, Whether hath any Popish Recusant being lawfully excommunicate, been interred or buried in your Church or Churchyard, before absolution of that censure and excommunication: if yea, then by whom, and when. Alienation of tithes and profits of the Church, 11 Item, Whether be not the profits, tithes, and other commodities Ecclesiastical, impiously and wickedly to the dishonour of Almighty God, and prejudice of the sacred Ministry, converted to the use and benefit of covetous Patrons, and by them received and detained, and how long have they been so used to your knowledge. A Terrier of Glebelands, and other possessions of the Church. 12 Item, Whether you have the Terrier of all the Gleab-lands, meadows, gardens, orchards, houses, stocks, implements, tenements, and portions of Tithes (whether within your Parish or without) belonging unto your parsonage or Vicarage, taken by the view of honest men in your said Parish. And whether the said Terrier be laid up in the Bishop's Registry, and in whose hands are any of them now. And if you have no Terrier already made in parchment, you the Churchwardens and Sidemen, together with your Parson or Vicar, or in his absence your Curate, are to make diligent enquiry, and presentment of the premises, and make, subscribe, and sign the said Terrier, as aforesaid. Articles concerning Ministers, Titul. 4. and Preachers of Gods holy Word. Degrees of Ministers. FIrst, Whether is your Minister, Parson, Vicar, or Curate, a Graduate in either of the Universities, or no: if yea, then of what degree. Is he a public preacher of God's word, and by whom is he so licenced. Observation of the form, and time of common Prayer, and the Sacraments. 2 Item, Whether doth your Minister distinctly, and reverently say Divine Service upon Sundays and Holidays, and other days appointed to be observed by the book of Common Prayer, as Wednesdays, and Fridays, and the Eues of every Sunday and Holiday, at fit and usual times. And doth your Minister duly observe the orders, Rites, and Ceremonies prescribed in the said book of Common Prayer, as well inreading all public Prayers, and the Litany, as also in administering the Sacraments, solemnisation of Matrimony, visitation of the sick, burying the dead, churching of women, and all other like Rites, and Offices of the Church, in like manner and form, as in the said book of Common Prayer is enjoined, without any omission or addition of any thing. And doth he read the book of the last Canons yearly. Continual wearing of the Surplice. 3 Item, Whether doth your Minister always, and at every time both morning and evening, reading Divine Service, and administering the Sacraments, and other Rites of the Church, wear the Surplice according to the Canons, and doth he never omit wearing of the same at such times. Observation of Rites. 4 Item, Whether doth your Minister bid Holidays and Fasting days, as is appointed. Doth he administer the holy Communion every month, or thrice in the year at least, whereof once at Easter, to every Parishioner: doth he receive the same himself on every day that he administereth it to others, and useth he the words of Institution, according to the Book, without alteration, at every time that the Bread and Wine is renewed. Doth he use and never omit the sign of the Cross in Baptism, or doth he ever baptise in any Basin, or other thing but the usual Font. Doth he marry without a Ring, or in times prohibited, or without the Banes thrice published, without a special Licence from the Archbishop, or Bishop of the Diocese, or his Chancellor first had and obtained. Preachers without licence. Reading Homilies when there is no Sermon. 5 Item, Whether is your Minister a Preacher licenced or no: If no, whether doth he take upon him in his own Cure or elsewhere to expound any Scripture or matter of doctrine, and doth not keep himself only to the reading of Homilies published by Authority: if so, than you are to present the same, the time and place where he did it. And if he be licenced, doth he preach usually according to the 45. Canon, in his own Cure, or some other neighbour Church, where no Preacher is: doth he preach standing, and with his hat off. Or whether doth he or his Curate upon every Sunday when there is no Sermon, read an Homily, or some part thereof, according as he ought to do. Preaching of false doctrine, and new opinions. 6 Item, Whether doth your Minister publish in his Sermons, any doctrine which is new and strange, and disagreeing from the word of God, and from the Articles of Christian Faith and Religion agreed on and published An. Dom. 1562. or whether doth he teach any thing, which he would have the people religiously to observe, and believe, but that which is agreeable to the Scriptures, and that which the Catholic Fathers and ancient Bishops have gathered out of that doctrine, according to the Canon. Names of strange Preachers to be taken. 7 Item, Whether is any Minister admitted to preach in your Church, who doth not before the Churchwardens subscribe his name in your book for that purpose, the day when he preached, and the name of the Bishop of whom he had licence to preach. And is any one admitted to preach before he hath showed his licence. Opposition of Preachers in their Sermons. 8 Item, Doth any Preacher in your pulpit particularly impugn and confute any doctrine delivered by other his fellow Preachers, before he hath acquainted the Bishop of the Diocese therewith, and received order from him what to do in that case. Praying for his Majesty, etc. 9 Item, Doth your Minister use always to pray for the King's Majesty, the Queen, Clergy, Council, etc. giving them their full titles, as in the Canon is required. Non residence of the Minister. 10 Item, Whether is your Minister resident upon his Benefice, or absent; if absent, by whom is the Cure served, the fruits received. Doth your Minister or Curate serve any more cures than one: if yea, then what other Cure doth he serve, and how fare are they distant. 11 Item, Catechising. Whether doth he catechise the youth of his Parish upon Sundays or Holidays before Evening prayer for half an hour, or more, in the Catechism set forth in the book of Common prayer: and whether do all the Parishioners diligently attend his catechising, and who refuse to send their children and servants to be catechised by him. Ministers to call for relief of the poor, and alms-deeds. 12 Item, Doth your Minister carefully look to the relief of the poor, and from time to time call upon his Parishioners to give somewhat according to their ability to godly and charitable uses, especially when they make their Wills. 13 Item, Simony. Whether is your Minister suspected, or known to have obtained his Benefice, or Spiritual promotion by any Simoniacal compact directly or indirectly. ●emising of Benefices. 14 Item, Whether doth your Minister demise the profits of his Benefice to any Layman above one year, and is not resident there, and keepeth no hospitality upon his Benefice being of sufficient value. Conferring with Recusants. 15 Item, Whether hath he being learned and sufficient, conferred with the Popish Recusants of his Parish, endeavouring to reclaim them from their errors, and presenting them being obstinate, for their recusancy. Observing of Rogation week. 16 Item, Doth your Minister in the Rogation days go in perambulation of the circuit of the Parish, saying and using the prayers, suffrages, and thanksgiving to God, appointed by Law, according to his duty, thanking God for his blessings, and praying for his grace and favour. Preaching, etc. in private houses. 17 Item, Hath your Minister or any other Preacher made any Sermons, administered the Sacraments, or Churched women in any private houses, otherwise then is by Law allowed. Curates not licenced, and lay-men doing offices of a Minister. 18 Item, What Curates or Preachers do read prayers, or administer the Sacraments in your Parish, without lawful licence from the Bishop of the Diocese under his hand and seal, according to the Canon: or doth any Layman, not having holy Orders, presume to read public prayers in the Church. Lecturers and Preachers to read service. 19 Item, Whether have you any Preacher or Lecturer in your Parish, and whether (if any such be) he doth twice at the least every year read himself Divine Service both morning and evening two several Sundays publicly in his Surplice; and also twice in the year administer both Sacraments, with such rites and ceremonies as are prescribed in the book of Common prayer, according to the 56. Canon. Conversation of the Minister. 20 Item, Whether is your Minister studious in the holy Scriptures, and abstaineth from Mechanical trades, or labour not be fitting his function, and from apparel unseemly for his calling, and from gaming, swearing, and drunkenness, and in frequenting from Inns, Taverns, and Tippling houses, and sitting and drinking inordinately in the same, or such notorious scandals: or is there any in your Parish, Ministers forsaking their calling. who having been admitted into holy Orders, either Deacon or Minister, doth relinquish or forsake his calling, and liveth in i course of his life as a Lay man. Ministers revealing private confessions. 21 Item, Whether doth your Minister before the several times of the administration of the Lords Supper, admonish and exhort his Parishioners, if they have their consciences troubled and disquieted, to resort unto him, or some other learned Minister, and open his grief, that he may receive such ghostly counsel, and comfort, as his conscience may be relieved, and by the Minister he may receive the benefit of absolution, to the quiet of his conscience, and avoiding of the scruple; And if any man confess his secret and hidden sins being sick or whole to the Minister, for the vnburthening of his conscience, and receiving such spiritual consolation, doth or hath the said Minister at any time revealed and made known to any person whatsoever, any crime or offence so committed to his trust and secrecy, contrary to the 113. Canon. Articles concerning Matrimony. Titul. 5, FIrst, Marriage within Leviticall degrees. Whether there be any in your Parish that have married within the degrees of affinity, or consanguinity by the Law of God forbidden; if any, what be they. Private marriage, and without consent of Parents. 2 Item, Whether have any been married secretly in private houses, or without their parents or governors consent signified, being under the age of 21. years. Married person living apart. 3 Item, Whether do any persons lawfully married, live asunder unlawfully, and in whom is the default. Marriage without banes, and licence. 4 Item, Whether any persons, (the Banes being not thrice published in the Church,) have been married without licence lawfully obtained, who were present at such marriages, and what Minister married them. Persons married out of their parishes. 5 Item, Whether any persons by licence or without have been married in your Parish Church, neither of them at that time dwelling in your Town. Recusants' marriage. 6 Item, What Popish Recusants or their children have been married in your Parish, in what sort was that Matrimony solemnised, when and by whom. Bigamy. 7 Item, Is there any in your Parish that is voiced, noted, and credibly reported and accused to have two wives living, or two husbands. Articles concerning the Churchwardens. Titul. 6. Election of Churchwardens. FIrst, whether be the Churchwardens chosen by the Minister and Parishioners, according to the 89. Canon, and whether hath any taken upon him to be Churchwarden being not so chosen: Or hath any continued above one year in his office without a new choice. Churchwardens due account. 2 Item, Whether have any Churchwardens retained any of the Church goods, and not made a just account of what they have received and expended. Churchwardens diligent in the Church. 3 Item, Have they been and are they diligent in their office, to see decency kept in the Church, and order in the time of Common prayer, and administration of the Sacraments, and that there be no disturbance, A book for ●range Preachers. but soberness and quietness in the Church. And do the Churchwardens keep a book in your Parish, wherein the name of every strange Preacher in your Parish is set down; & have the Churchwardens suffered any to Preach not showing or having no licence. Articles concerning the Parishioners. FIrst, Titul. 7. Whether do any in your Parish profane the Sunday by unlawful games, Profaning the Lord's day, drinking, or tippling in the time of Common Prayer, or Sermon; and by working, and doing the ordinary works of their vocation and trades. impugning the rites and government of the Church. 2 Item, Is there any in your Parish that do impugn or speak against the Rites and Ceremonies of the Church of England, or the lawful use of them; and the government of this Church under his Majesty, by Archbishops, Bishops, and other Ecclesiastical officers. ●●●euerent behaviour at Divine service, 3 Item, Who in your Parish do come to the Sermon only, and not to divine Service, and who do not reverently behave themselves during the time of divine Service, devoutly kneeling when the general Confession of sins, the Litany, the ten Commandments, and all Prayers and Collects are read: and using all duly and lowly reverence when the blessed name of the Lord jesus is mentioned, and standing up when the Articles of the Belief, and the Gospel are read: or who do cover their heads in the Church, during the whole time of divine Service, unless it be in case of necessity, in which case they may wear a nightcap. Or who do give themselves to babbling, talking, or walking, and are not attentive to hear the Word read and preached. Leaving their own Churches to go to others. 4 Item, Is there any of your Parish, having a Preacher to their Minister, that do absent themselves from his Sermons, and resort to other places to hear other Preachers: or do any in your Parish Communicate, or Baptise their children in any other Parish. Exception against the Minister. 5 Item, Is there any in your Parish that refuse to have their children baptised, or themselves to receive the Communion of your Minister, taking exception against him: or have any wives that refuse to come to Church, according to the Book of Common Prayer, Churching of women. to give thankes to God for their safe deliverance, in a decent habit, as hath been anciently accustomed. Disgracing of Ministers. 6 Item, hath any in your Parish spoken slanderous and reproachful words against your Minister, to the scandal of his vocation, or against their marriage or wives, or against his neighbour, defaming them touching any crime of Ecclesiastical cognizance. Opening of shops upon holidays. 7 Item, Whether do any in your Parish exercise any trade, or labour, buy or sell, or keep open shops, or set out any wares to be sold upon Sundays and Holidays by themselves, their servants, or apprentices, or have otherwise profaned the said days. Keeping holy of 27. March. 5. November. 8 Item, Whether is the 27. of March, and the fifth of November kept holy, and thanksgiving made to God, according to the order set forth in that behalf. Adultery, fornication, incest, etc. 9 Item, Is there any in your Parish that be, or are commonly known or reputed to be blasphemers of Gods holy Name, drunkards, adulterers, fornicators, incestuous persons, concealers or harbourers of fornicators or adulterers: have any been detected of such notorious crimes, and what penance have they done for the same. Commutation of Penance. 10 Item, what corporal punishment for any such offences, have been commuted and changed into a pecuniary mulct or sum of money by any Ecclesiastical judge, exercising jurisdiction within this Diocese, by virtue of any Grant or Commission; or what was the sum of money by them or any of them so received and taken, and to what uses was the same bestowed: or whether upon such commutations, was the unfeigned repentance of the delinquents published in the Church. Persons dying since the 1. of March, 1628. 11 Item, What person or persons have died and departed this mortal life, since the first day of March last passed, and whether did they make any last Wills or Testaments, and who were their Executors, or whether died they intestate, and who hath the Administration of their goods; and what be the names of such deceased, and Executors, and Administrators. Administering of goods without authority. 12 Item, Whether have any in your Parish administered the goods of any person deceased without lawful authority, and before he or they have proved the Will and Testament of the party deceased, or have obtained commission from the Ordinary to dispose of the said movable goods; or are their any Wills unprooved, or goods not administered. Excommunicate persons. 13 Item, What persons be excommunicate within your Parish, and for what cause to your knowledge: and whether do any of them repair to the church in time of Prayer, unabsolued. Articles concerning Schoolmasters, Titul. 8. Physicians and Chirurgeons, and Parish Clerks. Schoolmasters not licenced. FIrst, Is there any Schoolmaster in your Parish, that teacheth publicly or privately, not licenced by the Ordinary or the Bishop of the Diocese. Doth he teach any Papists or Sectaries children, that come not to church. Duty of all Schoolmasters. And doth he instruct all his scholars to learn the shorter Catethisme, by Law established, contained in the Book of common Prayer. Is he a graduate, and sufficient to teach. Physicians not licenced. 2 Item, What Physician or Chirurgeon is in your Parish unlicensed, and being not a Doctor of physic in either of the Universities, doth practise physic. And what ignorant persons have left their trade, and taken upon them to profess Physic, or Chirurgery; and who be they that so abuse the people. Parish Clerks. 3 Item, Have you a fit parish Clarke, aged 20. years at least, of honest life, able to read and write. Are his and the Sexton's wages paid without fraud; if not, than whose default is it. By whom is he chosen: is he diligent in his office, and serviceable to the Minister; doth he meddle with any thing above his office; doth he keep the Church clean, the doors locked. Is any thing lost and spoilt by his default, and doth he execute his office duly. Articles concerning Ecclesiastical offices. Titul. 9 Excessive fees. FIrst, Whether be there any Ecclesiastical officers, that exercise Ecclesiastical jurisdiction within this Diocese, that take and receive, or exact any extraordinary and excessive fees for any cause. Whether have your Churchwardens and Questmen, concealed any abuses, or offences punishable in the Ecclesiastical court; and whether such offences being presented are suppressed and unpunished. Tables of fees in Courts. 2 Item, Whether is there not a table of Fees in every Court, of the Consistory, Archdeacon's, and Commissaries, allowed and subscribed by the judge and Register of the court of Consistory Anno Dom. 1597. and the same every Court day hung up in some public place of the Court, and Registry. And whether doth the Register of your courts take more for wiles, and Administrations and other things, then is set down in that Table. Speeding of Acts without a Notary. 3 Item, Doth any Ecclesiastical judge speed any act in any cause privately of himself, and not in presence of some public Notary, or Actuary. Abuses in apparitors and Summoners. 4 Item, Whether is there any excessive number of Apparitors and Summoners in this Diocese: or have any of them under pretence of authority cited or summoned any person unlawfully, or hath taken any reward for the concealing of any offence or sin, or the avoiding of punishment of the offenders, and who be they that have done so; or do they take any fees not accustomable. Have they threatened any to prosecute them if they had no reward, and do they summon any without a Citation first had. Abuses in Ecclesiastical offices. 5 Item, Hath any Ecclesiastical judge, or Officer, Advocate, Register, Procter, Clerks, or other such ministers any way abused themselves in their offices, contrary to the law and Canons in that behalf provided. Sincerity and impartiality in the Inquisitors. 6 Item, Lastly, Whether have you and every of you, sincerely, uprightly, and without any partial affection, and concealing, presented and made known all and every the offenders in any of the matters mentioned in the precedent Articles exhibited unto you, either as they are taken in truth to be, or by common fame reported. If you know of any other default or crime of Ecclesiastical cognisance, you are to present the same. The Ministers of every Parish may join in presentment with the Churchwardens and Sidemen, and if they will not present, than the Ministers themselves (being the persons that should have the chief care for the suppressing of sin and impiety in their parishes) may present the crimes aforesaid, and such things as shall be thought to require due reformation. Can. 113. There must be several presentments made to every several Article. FINIS. Hos Articulos sub hisce Titulis in hac visitatione, 1629. proponit inquirendos, FRA: NORVICENSIS.